The Federal Government has dismissed claims of marginalisation of northern Nigeria in road infrastructure development under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, on Saturday refuted the assertion made by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who had alleged that the current administration was prioritizing road projects in the South over those in the North.
In a statement, Umahi described the remarks as “false and misleading,” stating that the northern region—particularly the North-West geopolitical zone where Kwankwaso hails from—has, in fact, benefited more than any other region from ongoing federal road projects.
“The President has been fair,” Umahi said. “Out of the major legacy projects of this administration, the North has a greater share.”
The minister highlighted the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway as a flagship initiative, with 378km currently under construction across Kebbi and Sokoto states.
He emphasized that the project is longer than the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, countering the perception of southern favoritism.
Providing further figures, Umahi revealed that ongoing road projects in northern Nigeria amount to 756km (in three-lane equivalent), compared to 409km in the South.
He listed several major northern projects, including:
Sokoto–Zamfara–Katsina–Kaduna Road (275km, dualised)
Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Road (350km, dualised)
BUA Tax Credit Road (256km, dualised) through Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano
Zaria–Hunkuyi Road (156km)
Kano Northern Bypass (49km)
Bama and Dikwa roads, Borno State (100km)
Borno Ring Road (110km)
Malando Road, Kebbi State (76km)
Benue to 9th Mile (250km, dualised)
Lokoja–Okene Road (86km, dualised)
Kaduna–Katsina road sections (under construction)
For southern Nigeria, Umahi cited key ongoing projects including the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Oyo–Ogbomoso–Ilorin Road, Enugu–Onitsha Road, East-West Road in the South-South, the Second Niger Bridge access roads in Anambra and Delta states, and the Bodo–Bonny Road in Rivers State.
He also clarified that many of the projects were inherited from the previous administration, with Tinubu’s government committing significant funding to ensure their continuation.
“In the NNPCL Tax Credit projects inherited from the past administration, the North received 53 per cent while the South got 47 per cent,” Umahi added.
“The South-East and South-West only received 4% and 5% respectively.”
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to equitable infrastructure development across all regions of the country.
Reporting by Abiola Peters